b'FUTURE SCIENCE STRATEGYThe stateand futureof predoctoral periodontal education Checking in with the Task Force to Evaluate Predoctoral Periodontal EducationThe Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Periospectives featured Dr. Jennifer BainTask Force member; an article reporting on the thoughts of several members ofChair of the AAPs Predoctoral Program the Task Force to Evaluate Predoctoral Periodontal EducationDirectors Committee; Chair of the Department regarding a study they had commissioned to investigate theof Periodontics and Preventive Sciences, approaches being taken by the countrys dental schoolsUniversity of Mississippi School of Dentistryto provide periodontal education for predoctoral students. Dr. Nico GeursTask Force member; Recently, with a report on the study due to be published laterEducation Consultant to the AAPs Education this year, we spoke to four members of the Task Force to getCommittee; Chair of the Department of their thoughts on the studys preliminary findings. These TaskPeriodontics, University of Alabama at Force members include: BirminghamDr. Leena PalomoCurrent Chair ofA summary of their feedback follows.the Task Force; Professor & Chair of theWhy was the task force created?Ashman Department of PeriodontologyDr. Okano For many years, there had been growing concern among and Implant Dentistry, New York University College of Dentistry Academy members about recent dental school graduates level of periodontal knowledge and whos doing the teaching. There was aDr. David Okanofairly widespread perception that a lot of the predoctoral periodontal Previous Chair and current member ofteaching is being done by general dentists and even hygienists. the Task Force; Associate Professor andOne reason for these suspicions was that many periodontists had Section Head of Periodontics, Universityobserved that new general dentists dont seem to have as good a of Utah School of Dentistrygrasp of periodontics as they did in the past. Another was the sense of an increasing reluctance by general dentists to refer their patients to periodontists, even when a referral is clearly warranted. Many AAP Periospectives| 8'